


And I Only See You

by SilveryxDark



Series: Fic Bingo [2]
Category: Alice Nine
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Anal Sex, Happy Ending, Homophobia, M/M, Minor Violence, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Rimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-11 18:09:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2078040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilveryxDark/pseuds/SilveryxDark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/1995879">A Matter of Perspective</a>. It's been seven years since Shou and Hiroto broke up, forced apart by Shou's parents. Hiroto's tried moving on with life. But it seems he'll be entirely unsuccessful when he meets Shou again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And I Only See You

**Author's Note:**

> I dedicate this fic to my lovely friend Jun! Thank you for all the support all the time and I hope you feel better soon. <3
> 
> Title from Fall Out Boy's song, "Pretty in Punk."
> 
> Written for the squares reunion and rimming on my fic bingo card.

Hiroto is usually of the opinion that if you have not seen someone, especially an ex or childhood friend or something like that, in more than a couple of years, you should probably forget about them and move on. He’s been trying to live by that principle, honestly, even if there are many days when it just doesn’t work. But now?

It’s definitely not working.

Not when his own “someone” is standing just a few metres away, staring at him with the same surprise clearly written on his face.

“Shou?”

“Hiroto?”

Time seems to freeze in that moment of acknowledgement, because this isn’t supposed to happen. He and Shou broke up many years ago and he’s supposed to have moved on. He’s doing better than he ever thought he would have, being the head chef at his friend Nao’s cafe. He hasn’t seen Shou in seven fucking years and he didn’t think he’d ever see him again.

“Hiroto?”

The voice is different and it startles him. Saga, on cashier duty today, looks at him with a concerned frown. Hiroto stammers incoherently and risks a glance at Shou again, before he flees into the kitchen without another word, his heart hammering in his chest.

Nao looks up at him from the counter, looking deeply concerned. “Hiroto? Are you okay? You’re really pale...”

It takes Hiroto a couple of tries before his voice steadies and he is able to answer coherently, “My ex just came in.”

Nao looks both alarmed and angry at once. “You mean the one that beat you up?”

“No!” Hiroto says, though he can see why Nao immediately assumes that it’s that guy, judging from how he was panicking. “It’s… it’s my first boyfriend. And that guy did not beat me up, he just punched me and then I punched him back and left.”

Nao knows about Shou. Not his name, but he’s been Hiroto’s senior and close friend since they were in the same course in culinary school, and Hiroto has told him some of his history with Shou. Nao merely nods, though he’s still looking worried.

“I’m fine. Is it okay if I talk to him?” Hiroto asks quietly.

“Of course. Go ahead,” Nao says.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself, Hiroto walks out of the kitchen - only to see Shou at the head of the queue and glaring daggers at an equally pissed off Saga. What the hell?

“Saga, what’s wrong?” Hiroto calls, thinking it easier to deal with him than with Shou for now.

“Is this him? That asshole?” Saga demands, and Shou looks outraged. “The one who hit you?”

If Hiroto thought that Shou looked angry just now, his current expression is nothing compared to the cold fury spreading across his features. It’s a familiar look, like the one he used to wear whenever someone insulted Hiroto back when they were teenagers. But worse, too. Hiroto takes a step back, looking from Shou to Saga.

“No. Not him. Calm down. I’ll tell you later. Serve the customers,” Hiroto says firmly but gently, offering a smile.

Saga still looks suspicious, but nods. Hiroto looks at Shou again, who still looks ready to beat someone up, and then he nods to a far corner of the bakery. He leads the way, staring resolutely at the floor. Even if he has imagined seeing Shou again after so long, this is definitely not what he’s wanted it to be. It’s going so wrong, so far.

He takes a seat, and looks up at Shou. The years in between have matured him a little - the chubbiness of youth lost, replaced by the harder edges of adulthood. His eyes look a little more tired than they used to, but they’re still bright (albeit with anger). His hair has been dyed brown, but still in that same artful mess Hiroto remembers so well. His clothes look sharp, a white jacket over a grey shirt with black pants.

It takes him another moment to realise that Shou is staring at him, too, taking in the sight of him. There’s so much history between them, nothing that years of separation can erase.

“Hiroto,” Shou whispers.

Hiroto swallows. “Hey. Shou,” he begins, and he has to swallow again before he can continue with, “It’s been… it’s been too long.”

Shou’s face softens, and he nods. “Yeah. How - how are you?” he says, and then his eyes light up with anger again. “What the hell was that with that guy all about? Who hit you?”

The fact that Shou still gets so angry on his behalf makes Hiroto smile a little. The memory of what happened is anything but, though.

“That’s Saga, my good friend. If you didn’t notice, I freaked out when I saw you. He assumed that you were an ex that I broke up with a few months ago. That ex, he… He tried to hit me when he thought I was cheating on him, and then he did hit me when I broke up with him,” Hiroto explains, fidgeting uncomfortably in his seat.

Shou’s eyes are huge - bigger than they already are, wide with anger and shock and sadness. His fingers twitch, and his hand makes a little aborted movement of reaching out. Hiroto finds it a little alarming how he can still read Shou so easily even after all this time.

“You - are you - are you okay?” Shou asks, voice unsteady.

Hiroto nods. “I’m fine. It happened a few months ago. I’ve got over it,” he says, although he knows that seeing hostility will always scare him more than it used to, now.

Shou bites his lip. “I’m sorry that… that it happened to you,” he says, and Hiroto hears the pause, aware of what Shou wanted to say.

I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.

“It’s okay,” Hiroto says. “You can’t always be here, you know.”

The look on Shou’s face makes Hiroto’s heart ache. How have his feelings remained so strong? He quickly changes the topic, asking, “What brings you here anyway?”

Shou smiles a little at that, and responds, “I came back to Japan last month, and I just started working in a new company last week. My colleague told me about this really good cafe just down the street or something, and I thought I should drop by. Then… well… I saw you. And all that happened.”

“Right, well… Since you came in for food, I guess I should recommend you some things, huh,” Hiroto says, and Shou gives him a lovely smile.

“Yes, I think that would be wonderful,” Shou replies.

Hiroto runs him through the menu, and with more than a touch of pride, talks about the desserts. He’s the head baker and he deserves some pride in his labour of love.

“Our specialties are the mille feuille, and macarons. You should try the strawberry mille feuille in particular. You’ve always liked strawberries,” Hiroto concludes, and a blush starts up his neck from the moment he blurts out the last part.

He really shouldn’t be remembering things like that. Shou himself looks slightly surprised, and then he’s giving him a slight smile, nodding. Hiroto soon bustles off to serve Shou his food (although that really isn't his job at all), and also to reassure Saga and Nao about it all. Saga offers to bring Shou’s drink to him in apology, and Hiroto is hugely relieved to see them smile slightly at each other, nodding silently.

“Sorry I jumped to conclusions,” Saga says, as Hiroto carefully plates the desserts.

“Hmm? It’s fine. I… I did panic. It was only natural for you guys to come to the worst conclusion, seeing me act like that, after knowing about… him,” Hiroto murmurs, and offers Saga a quick smile.

It’s not too long before Shou has to leave, but he compliments the food and smiles at everyone before he goes. He buys a slice of strawberry shortcake to go, too, and it just reminds Hiroto even more strongly of the times he baked treats for Shou. And most importantly - he promises to return, soon.

Hiroto reckons he shouldn’t feel so unbearably excited at the thought, but here he is.

\---

Soon turns out to be just two days after Shou’s first visit. Except that he turns up with some other guy, chatting and laughing away, and Hiroto feels a poisonous surge of...

No, wait. He's not jealous. There's no way he is. He just met Shou again yesterday, and it's not like they're back together again. If Shou's going to come back with another guy, that's totally his business. Right.

Saga's busy with stocktaking and Hiroto's manning the counter for now. So when Shou and the other guy - tall and broad shouldered with distinct eyes and so very different from Hiroto - reach the counter, Hiroto's forcing a smile, looking coolly at Shou.

"How may I help you?" Hiroto says, tone clipped.

Shou looks confused and the tall guy raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, actually, is Saga here?"

Huh. This guy knows Saga? That's funny, Hiroto totally didn't expect that. Hiroto turns back and calls for Saga.

What Hiroto sees next completely floors him. Saga's practically running into this guy's arms and kissing his nose and the two of them smile like they're in a sappy romantic comedy. It's slightly sickening, actually.

"Hiroto?" Shou's voice calls, and Hiroto looks back at him, eyes wide.

Shou is giving him an achingly familiar look of apparent nonchalance, but with obvious smugness. Like when they were children, after the two of them tried playing tricks on their older siblings, or when either was trying to do something nice for the other and was proud of themselves.

“Were you jealous?” Shou says with a quiet chuckle.

Hiroto’s cheeks go red. “No! Why the hell would I be?” he snaps, and then he mutters, “Well. Fine, I assumed he was your boyfriend. But no, I wasn’t jealous.”

Shou’s smiling a little, and he explains, “Tora was the one who told me about this place. He's a colleague. He told me that his boyfriend was working here, and wanted to surprise him. I wanted to come down and see for myself yesterday. That’s all.”

Hiroto's heart feels lighter in his chest. Stupid, this is so stupid. How can he still have feelings for Shou? How can he think about him, still? Shou will have moved on.

"Right. Well, you can't be telling me you don't have a.. a girlfriend, or boyfriend," Hiroto says.

"I don't," Shou says. "I haven't... I haven't really been together with anyone for longer than a couple of months. Couple of one night stands, and... nothing else."

"Same," Hiroto blurts out, and flushes once more, angry at himself for running his mouth off so often. "A - anyway! What would you like?"

Shou looks down at the display. “A slice of strawberry shortcake,” he says, and Hiroto can’t help but quirk a smile at that. “And… a salted caramel macaron, please. Thank you.”

Hiroto kind of hates how sweet and gentle Shou often sounds. He was always so charming, the model student, the perfect son. Hiroto is all too different from him. But then again, Shou only acted different around him.

“Anything else?” Hiroto asks, as he gently packs the food in a box.

“Um, well,” Shou says, looking uncharacteristically embarrassed. “Hiroto, can we - is it okay if - um, can I talk to you again?”

Hiroto hesitates. Shou’s come back into his life, and to be honest, Hiroto doesn’t want to let him go so easily again. And yet, it’s been seven years. He can’t be sure if this is worth it.

Apparently he’s hesitated too long, because Shou says quietly, “Ah, I’m sorry, Hiroto… It's okay if -”

“No, it’s fine!” Hiroto says quickly, cutting him off. “It really is. Come on, give me your phone.”

Hiroto’s always been the brash, impulsive one of the two. He’s mellowed in the years since, but when it comes to Shou, it seems like he will always be the one to take the initiative more.

Shou smiles tentatively and unlocks his phone, passing it to Hiroto. Hiroto keys in his number and saves it under the name “Pon”, an old nickname that Shou liked calling him, especially when they were children.

He passes the phone back to Shou, who’s still in mild disbelief. Shou then slowly smiles as he looks down at his phone, and Hiroto passes his own to him. Seeing Shou's name in his phone again does funny things to his heart he isn't sure what to think about.

"Thank you," Shou says, biting his lip as though he's trying not to smile.

Hiroto has a flashback of those very lips seven years ago, swollen and curved into a wicked grin, tasting sweet against his own.

Blushing, he rings up Shou's order. Even as Shou passes him cash, he's acutely aware of the warmth of his hand brushing against his. Shou himself looks content. It's a good look on him, better than shock and old pain and sadness.

“I do have to get back to work,” Shou says, looking apologetic. “We're kinda busy today."

“Yeah,” Hiroto says, “I guess, um, I’ll call you… wait, Shou?”

“Hmm?”

Hiroto has a thought. “Did you really come down yesterday because you were that curious, or did you already know I’m working here?”

Shou flushes, confirming Hiroto’s suspicions. “Tora… might have mentioned that the chef’s name had your name. I… I had to know.”

Hiroto bites his lip, trying not to smile. He sees Shou glance at his lips, and then at the counter. It's... It's actually hopelessly endearing. He’s getting in over his head, but all of this feels like some kind of miracle, like the universe is trying to make up for everything that happened all those years ago.

Hiroto can hardly stop thinking about Shou for the rest of the day. And if Nao gives him a funny look, well, he can’t really be faulted, right? Right.

\---

_He’s a teenager again, kissing Shou on the latter’s bed. Except he knows how this will turn out and he whispers, panicked, for Shou to stop. Yet Shou seems confused, unaware, and kisses him again, reassuring him._

_“They’ll know - your parents are going to come in and ruin this -” Hiroto gasps in fear, but he is silenced by another too-sweet kiss._

_Hiroto is desperate, both for Shou and for him to stop in case. But it’s too late - there’s a knock and the door opens, and Shou and Hiroto can’t scramble apart fast enough before Shou’s mother sees them and begins screaming and Hiroto can do nothing but beg and cry._

\---

Hiroto awakens with a jolt, his cheeks wet with tears and his heart pounding away rapidly. His throat feels tight with remembered terror, and he needs a few moments more to calm himself down. He hasn’t dreamt about this for a while. Of course he would, again.

In real life, he hadn’t known a thing. He was eighteen then, just graduated and discussing college with Shou when their discussion became an impromptu makeout session on Shou’s bed. Then Shou’s mother came home unexpectedly, and everything came crashing down.

Their parents, once good friends, had their own friendship strained. Hiroto’s parents were disappointed but eventually supportive. Shou’s were anything but. In less than a week, Shou was made to attend college overseas, his phone taken away, all his contact monitored by his parents. Their only son, precious and perfect, “had no business becoming gay”.

Shou wrote a letter to Hiroto once, and Hiroto wrote back, and Hiroto never got his reply - he knew, because Shou’s father stormed to his house and shouted at him for having the nerve to communicate with his son, waving a letter around. He tried writing again, but he didn't get a reply again. That was the end of things with Shou, it seemed, and Hiroto always regretted not having the chance to find another way.

Still, life moved on. Hiroto enrolled in culinary school, meeting Nao and becoming fast friends with the cheerful senior. He had a few flings and boyfriends, driven by loneliness, and after graduation, started working with Nao. The only thing that wasn’t ideal was how he’d never managed to stay with someone for long, though - the boyfriend he’d had longest lasted for all of four months. And if he was tall and slender with big round eyes and a charming smile, well… that was his business, wasn’t it?

Perhaps their meeting is fate apologising to them. Maybe others would think him stupid for holding on even after so long. But how could he possibly forget? He grew up with Shou and did everything with him, had his childish idolisation change into something more as puberty passed, had so many firsts with him. Shou is impossible to forget.

Hiroto reaches out for his phone and, in the contact list, scrolls to Shou’s name. He smiles at the familiar kanji, and locks the screen, clutching his phone to his chest. It feels safe.

\---

Shou doesn't come in for another week, but he does text Hiroto every day. Hiroto can't stop himself smiling, seeing Shou's name pop up on his phone.

"You're acting like a lovesick teenager. It's gross," Saga points out with a disgusted sniff.

"Says the guy booping his boyfriend's nose and calling him, urgh, Tora-nyan-nyan," Hiroto shoots back.

Saga blushes, saying nothing else. Hiroto smirks, knowing he's won this round. He returns to the kitchen to work on another batch of cupcakes.

At the end of the day, Shou comes in, with a dopey smile on his face that Hiroto finds stupidly endearing. He's oddly shy again, until Nao tells them to take it outside and to stop flirting in his cafe, thank you very much.

"We weren't -" Hiroto protests.

Nao raises an eyebrow at him. "Seriously. I need to close for tonight and meet Ari-chan," he says.

Hiroto is smart enough not to say anything else, dragging Shou out too. Shou seems to relax when they're alone.

"Look, um, you said you have an off day tomorrow so - I was wondering if you wanted to go watch a movie and have lunch and maybe dinner and drinks with me?" Shou asks at last.

Hiroto's cheeks grow warm. "Are you actually asking me out on a date?"

Shou hesitates a moment before nodding carefully. It occurs to Hiroto that they never actually asked each other out, not like this. In fact, their own relationship developed after a mild crisis in their friendship, when Hiroto thought Shou was ignoring him and confronted him about it. Hiroto was worried that Shou had somehow found out about his feelings for him, and was disgusted by them.

As it turned out, Shou had the same fears, worrying that Hiroto would no longer want to be his friend because he was in love with him, and tried to distance himself from him out of that fear. They’d ended up kissing in Hiroto’s room, giggling and blushing at how silly and worried they had been.

They’d never actually been on a real date, though, out of necessity. They only spent their free time at each other's houses, in the privacy of their rooms. Or, when they did go out together, they could not act like a couple.

 

“Yeah, of course,” Hiroto replies. "I'd like to go out with you. Tomorrow."

Surprise flashes across Shou's face, and then it's replaced by joy and relief. Hiroto can barely suppress his own happiness. It is a relief, being this open. Though...

"Wait, Shou. I'm really happy we're, um, going on a date but... I can't help but notice how much more open you are now. Have your parents finally come round?" Hiroto asks hopefully.

Shou's face darkens for a moment, and then he gives a sad smile. "No. In fact, I think they've disowned me."

"Disowned?" Hiroto yelps.

Shou nods. "My parents kicked me out of our home in the US. They, uh, found me in bed with another man. I told them I was having none of their bullshit. They already ruined my happiness once and - and I didn't want them to keep ruining it. The next day I was homeless with bags of stuff. Rented an apartment, continued working, decided to come back here two months later. Found you," he concludes with a smile.

Hiroto blinks slowly at Shou, taking everything in. Somehow he thinks Shou is so remarkable, and he tells him just that. Shou is surprised, but evidently pleased.

Later that night, Hiroto can't help but privately wonder what Shou still sees in him. Maybe in the first flushes of teenage love, but - now? Hiroto isn't sure he's anything special in comparison.

Or, a part of Hiroto thinks, maybe Shou still thinks of him as the boy he loved all those years ago. Maybe once he's realised that Hiroto isn't whom he thought he would be, he'll leave him.

That night, Hiroto dreams again of being separated from Shou. He wakes up at two in the morning, panic rising in him, and it takes him a full hour to fall asleep again.

Hiroto wakes up early, a knot of anxiety in his stomach. He takes a light breakfast and long shower, and fusses over the clothes he’s going to wear. Eventually he decides on a grey t-shirt, a denim jacket, black pants and leather boots. They are to meet at twelve, and Hiroto turns up ten minutes early. Shou arrives five minutes before twelve anyway, smiling at him and actually apologising for being late.

"We were both early, shut up," Hiroto teases.

"Fine," Shou chuckles. "Let's go, shall we? There’s this great place my friend told me about, it’s well-priced and has great seafood."

Hiroto blinks in surprise. "I thought you were allergic to seafood."

"Yeah, but... You like it, right?" Shou smiles.

Again Hiroto is struck by how kind and considerate Shou is to him. He can only blush and thank him. It's true, the seafood platter that Hiroto orders is excellent, and Shou has a steak, which he declares good as well.

It's embarrassing, but Hiroto can't help himself watching Shou, the way his lips close around the fork, the way his Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. He tries to be discreet, but then he sees Shou smirking at him.

Though, he does catch Shou staring pointedly at his mouth when he's slurping up an oyster. It's also incredibly amusing to see his flustered reaction when Hiroto keeps eye contact as he eats another oyster.

There’s base desire overriding the worry lying in the pit of Hiroto’s stomach. There’s no denying how much he wants Shou, and how much he wants to be with Shou again, but he doesn’t know if it’s enough. He’ll think about it later, though, he’s on a date after all.

Over the course of lunch, there’s a fair bit of not-so-discreet staring at each other. Even as they walk to the cinema later, Hiroto lets his hand brush against Shou’s multiple times, and Shou’s fingers lightly squeeze his every so often.

The movie’s a dramatic action flick, and while it is pretty good, Hiroto finds himself very aware of Shou being next to him. He hasn’t really spent a large amount of time with Shou since they met again, and spending hours next to him is nostalgic and comfortable.

It's still far too early for dinner after the show ends. Hiroto impulsively takes Shou to his favourite clothing store. It's run by his friend Umi, and it's tucked into a small corner of a street. There aren't many people at the moment and Umi gives a little smirk when he spots Shou with Hiroto.

Hiroto decides to try on a couple of things, and encourages Shou to do so, too. Then Shou comes out with a jacket in bright purple leopard print and Hiroto burst out giggling.

"What? It's pretty cool, right?" Shou protests.

"You look - you look - Shou..." Hiroto dissolves into another fit of giggles.

That is, until Shou kisses him. Hiroto's laughter dies on his lips, surprised for a moment before he kisses Shou back, needy and desperate.

Unfortunately, their kiss is cut short by Umi's yell of, "Can you two get a room that's not in my shop?"

Hiroto and Shou break apart, flushed. Umi looks vaguely horrified, and they can only apologise till he waves them off, exasperated.

They don't talk about it for a while. They end up not getting the purple jacket, but Hiroto does get a new pair of pants that he knows made Shou stare at his ass for a good five seconds, and Shou buys a studded denim jacket and a couple of rings.

When they get out of the shop, Hiroto turns to Shou and asks, "So. The kiss...? I liked it, by the way. Just... Just very surprised."

Shou gives a sheepish smile. "You were laughing and you looked adorable. I've also wanted to kiss you again for so long. Mm, and I don’t like being laughed at."

“That jacket was pretty bad,” Hiroto teases, sticking his tongue out playfully.

“I may have worn it just to get you to laugh,” Shou admits. “Then you were laughing so hard and… I just wanted to kiss you so badly. Was it really okay, though?”

“Yeah, it was,” Hiroto says. "I mean it... was definitely surprising. But it was a good kiss. With you."

"Yeah. Can I - uh -"

Hiroto simply leans in to kiss him, then, being the one to shut him up for once. He loves Shou's moments of whimsy, but it seems Shou's much more careful now, asking and second guessing so much.

Their second kiss is longer and sweeter. This road is isolated enough that no one's there to stare at them. Hiroto takes it all in, the taste and texture of Shou's lips, the way Shou's fingers caress his cheek and hair, the way Shou's hair feels under his hands.

Hiroto breaks the kiss reluctantly for air, and Shou stares at him in wonder, a smile tugging at his lips. Hiroto does smile back, though he's surprised at his own daring.

"That took too long," Shou declares. "I should've come back earlier and found you... But I was so scared."

"It's fine. We're... We're together now. Aren't we?" Hiroto says, uncertain.

Shou nods. "Yes, we are," he replies, and hugs Hiroto tightly. "I don't want to lose you again."

\--

The rest of the day, the date seems to be going better than expected. Everything goes swimmingly after their conversation in the afternoon, their feelings abundantly clear. Dinner is excellent, and the bar they go to is good.

And of course, Hiroto thinks bitterly, clenching his fist, that's when something goes wrong.

Something being some drunk guys seeing them holding hands, and calling them slurs. They'd decided to get out and go to another bar, but the group followed them out, attempting to punch Hiroto.

Hiroto was only bruised in his arm, but then Shou was furious, and he was trying so hard to defend Hiroto, punching the first guy in the face. Hiroto tried pulling Shou back, away from them, but the two remaining guys started hitting Shou.

Thankfully, a group of people arriving at the bar stepped in, restraining the gang and sending Shou and Hiroto to the hospital.

Shou's eye is blackened, his mouth bruised and bleeding, and his arm is mildly fractured. The guys were drunk and didn't hit very hard, but his chest is mottled with bruises. Hiroto can only sit next to Shou as he is patched up, horribly guilty and ashamed.

He does nothing as Shou takes his hand and squeezes it, only struggling not to cry. It is all his fault Shou got hurt.

When they leave the hospital, Hiroto slips his hand out from Shou's grasp, looking resolutely at the floor. Shou takes it again, though, and stops in his tracks.

"Hey, Hiroto. Talk to me?" Shou says, thumb rubbing circles into Hiroto's palm.

He used to do that whenever Hiroto was stressed and upset, touching him gently to calm him. "It's my fault," Hiroto bites out. "You're hurt because of me. If you didn't go out with me it wouldn't have happened. And - and you didn't have to protect me, you didn't have to get hurt because of me!"

"Was I supposed to leave you to get beaten up, too?" Shou snaps, worry clear in his eyes. “And it’s not your fault, Hiroto! They were the ones at fault for acting that way.”

“I didn’t want you to get hurt!” Hiroto shouted back. “It feels like it did back then, all right? With everything going so well and then -”

Hiroto’s voice cracks, and he’s unable to continue. He already lost Shou once back then. There's no way he wants to lose Shou again. There's always someone in the way though, someone who hates the way they are.

"Hiroto..." Shou says quietly, holding Hiroto by the shoulders. "It won't happen again."

"You can't promise that," Hiroto says weakly. "There'll always be someone who'll oppose us."

"And you're just going to let them do so? Without thinking for what you want?" Shou retorts.

Hiroto hesitates. He's the lucky one, his parents eventually accepting his orientation (even if it helps that his older brother is straight and engaged). He's led a comfortable, normal life, and hasn't really had as much trouble with relationships.

Shou's struggled more, especially against his homophobic parents. Hiroto realises how hard it must've been for Shou to stand up to his family, to live away on his own, navigating a different country entirely, and such.

"No," he says at last. "I don't want to. But... But you... You're hurt and..."

"Hiroto," Shou said firmly. "I was the one who chose to protect you and fight back. Things ended well, we got away with minor injuries, and we're here together. All right, Hiroto?"

He's always too kind, like some fairy tale prince come to life. Hiroto bites back a smile at the thought, and nods.

"What's so funny?" Shou asks, genuinely curious.

Hiroto reaches out for Shou's hand, happy when he squeezes his fingers. "I just thought - well, you always protect me and you're so good... You're like some prince charming or something."

"And you're my princess?" Shou teases, pressing a kiss to Hiroto's cheek.

"E-ehh? I'm not --"

"Just kidding. Ah, but you'd look cute carried bridal style..."

Hiroto gives another shocked yelp, blushing furiously. "Don't you dare! And your arm..."

A laugh bubbles from Shou’s lips. “Oh, I’m fine! And hey, a prince must always protect his princess, no?”

“Stop that,” Hiroto says, struggling not to laugh.

“You started it first, princess. And if my arm gets better, maybe I’ll try to carry you,” Shou smirks.

“I’m heavier than you think. I go to the gym in the morning on my days off,” Hiroto sniffs.

Shou actually stops in his tracks, looking at him. “Seriously?”

To prove his point, Hiroto immediately bends over and literally sweeps Shou off his feet, holding him up. Shou is much taller than him, with way longer legs, but he’s relatively skinny and light. And he’s actually let out a scream, which makes Hiroto laugh.

“Okay - I get it! Put me down!” Shou yells.

Laughing harder, Hiroto does so. And then as soon as Shou gets his bearings back, he kisses him soundly once more.

"Told you," Shou whispers with a wicked grin. "I don't like being laughed at."

\---

Two days later, Monday sees the cafe closed as usual. Nao has always said something about hating Mondays and wanting to spend the day with his fiancee.

Hiroto usually spends his Mondays going for a run in the morning, having breakfast, making plans with other friends and such. Today he does the first couple of things, but in the afternoon he heads to Shou's apartment.

His boyfriend.

Again.

It's strange to think of him that way again. From best friends, to boyfriends, to exes and back to boyfriends... It's not a development Hiroto would have thought possible.

They talked about it, when Hiroto drove them back to Shou's apartment that night. Shou brought it up first, sounding nervous.

"What are we? Like... Together...?" he asked.

Hiroto quickly glanced at Shou, and replied, "Well... We're definitely more than just... Just friends, you know? We went on a date. We kissed several times."

"So. Lovers?" Shou asked softly, his voice laced with hope and anxiety.

Hiroto exhaled, thinking for a second. What else could they be? Shou was looking at the ground, clearly trying not to appear too desperate.

Truth was, Hiroto wanted this. He wanted Shou, he wanted to be with Shou. He'd loved him his whole life.

"Yes," Hiroto replied, quiet and reassuring.

He pulled over at the red light, and Shou grasped his hand, beaming at him. Shou leaned in to kiss him lightly, smiling against his lips.

Afterwards, Hiroto left Shou in his apartment, after Shou's reassurance that he was fine and could take care of himself. Hiroto has visited Shou every day since then, making sure he's doing well. Shou’s not due to return to work for these few days.

They tread around their renewed relationship rather carefully. It's nothing like Hiroto's old fantasies of a romantic movie reunion, all happy tears and easy togetherness. Neither is it really like how they used to be as teenagers, the progression from friendship into romantic love as natural and easy as breathing.

Now, it's kind of like learning how to dance. Their parents enrolled them in some children's dance class when they were four and five respectively, and Hiroto is reminded of the tentative steps taken, and learning how to listen. Shou was quite bad at any physical activity, though, and it seems he still is.

Visiting Shou, talking to him, slowly slipping into familiarity once more - it's learning each other again, getting used to each other once more. They discover new things about each other (like Shou finding out firsthand how strong Hiroto is now), and realise some things have yet to change (like Shou’s woeful lack of cooking skills).

Hiroto brings over homecooked meals and soup for Shou, like he has been for the past couple of days. Finding out that Shou’s been living on simple, mostly instant meals, conbini bentos, takeout and such sent Hiroto into caretaking mode. Seeing Shou trying to peel an apple gave Hiroto stitches as he laughed (but then Shou kissed him to shut him up again, and Hiroto loves that).

“Hiroto, please teach me how you cook so well,” Shou says, happily slurping down a bowl of chicken soup.

“Please tell me you didn’t forget the disaster that was the peeler and the apple. And the carrot,” Hiroto says mildly.

Shou gives him a childish pout. “That’s only because my arm’s hurt! I swear, when it’s better, I’m not so bad!”

Hiroto raises an eyebrow at Shou. “Have you successfully cooked anything before? Instant meals and such don’t count.”

“I did make curry once,” Shou protests. “I mean, the meat might have been overcooked a bit and maybe I didn’t peel and chop the potatoes all that evenly… but it was still edible, all right?”

“I’m proud of you,” Hiroto grins.

Shou rolls his eyes, finishing the last of the soup. Once he’s done, Hiroto leans over to kiss him, grinning against his lips, before he stands up and brings the bowls into the kitchen. Shou follows after him, ready to help. He’s insistent on trying to help Hiroto out, and in three days Hiroto has given up on trying to make Shou just rest.

It all feels rather domestic. Like this is how things are supposed to be between them.

“Hey, Shou?”

“Mm?”

“Do you remember - once, I asked you if we could live together when we grew up?” Hiroto asks softly.

Shou nods. “Yeah. I - I thought about that a lot, you know. How nice it’d be to get our own place and live together. Then the shit with my parents happened, and I thought it’d remain some fantasy.”

“Not so much a fantasy anymore, do you think?” Hiroto murmurs, looking up at Shou shyly.

A smile spreads across Shou’s face, taking in the meaning of Hiroto’s words. “Yeah, not anymore,” he agrees. “Though… do you think it’s fast?”

Hiroto shrugs. “Maybe a bit. But… we’ve known each other for our whole lives. Even if we were separated for seven years… our feelings have remained the same, haven’t they? It’s something to think about at least,” he says slowly.

Shou nods in agreement, and then he’s kissing Hiroto again. “I love you,” he murmurs against his lips, the first time he’s said them since all those years ago.

Hiroto’s breath catches in his throat. “I love you, too,” he says, and smiles.

\---

It takes another six weeks for Shou’s arm to heal, enough that he’s able to get back to most of his usual activities. His left arm is still a little weak at times, but Hiroto helps with any heavy lifting.

By then, Hiroto’s spent so much time at Shou’s apartment that he’s all but moved in, and he’s ending his lease by the end of the next two weeks. It’s funny how easily all this happens - during the first two weeks he’s staying over there about two nights a week, then it quickly increases, and in the past week he’s only been back once to check on his stuff.

He realises he doesn’t have that much stuff with him. Sure, he’s got appliances and furniture and such, but very few that have got much sentimental value. His parents got him his extremely comfortable couch (much better than Shou’s, they both think), and he’s got books, games and an old guitar, and frankly that’s about it. The apartment is less of a home and more of a space he’s been sleeping in for the past couple of years.

Being with Shou is what feels like home. His heart lightens every time Shou pops by for a drink in the afternoon, and turns up to walk home with him after work at night. It’s good to spend time with his other friends, and even better to go on dates with Shou. Waking up in the morning with Shou’s arm curled around him, front pressed to his back, feels right.

They haven’t really slept together yet, though. Neither of them want to risk accidentally aggravating Shou’s injuries, and honestly, they’re both happy where they are with their relationship now.

It feels too good, sometimes, though. Hiroto keeps waiting for the ball to drop, for something to happen again and spoil what they have. Shou always asks if he’s feeling alright and Hiroto wants to tell him, but then there’s no way he’s going to worry him, too. Shou doesn’t press the issue, trusting Hiroto to tell him when he’s ready.

There’s a day when Hiroto thinks his fears will be realised.

It happens one morning on a day off, when he’s staying over, cuddling into the warmth of Shou’s body. Then he’s awoken by the loud, insistent ringing of the doorbell.

“What time is it…?” Shou groans.

Hiroto fumbles for his phone and looks at the screen. Eleven in the morning? Well, it must be urgent. He stretches and gets Shou to go back to sleep, before pulling on a shirt and walking out of the bedroom to answer the door.

It’s Shou’s sister and mother.

Hiroto hasn’t seen them in as many years as he hasn’t seen Shou, but like Shou, he’s known them for too long not to know their faces. Hiroto remembers Shou telling him that his sister is accepting and kind, which helps. But not his mother, the one that found them out and forced them apart. A knot of fear tightens in Hiroto’s stomach as he grips the doorknob, staring at them.

“Hiroto-kun…?” Keiko, Shou’s sister, says, eyes wide.

He remembers that Shou mentioned inviting his sister for lunch. But not his mother, surely. he hasn't spoken about his parents since that one time.

"Keiko-san... Kohara-san..." Hiroto says at last, horribly aware of his voice sounding weak and scared. "Uh. I... I'll get Shou..."

"Why are you here?" Kohara-san asks, sounding genuinely bewildered instead of accusatory.

Hiroto swallows. "I stayed over... We're together, Shou and I."

It's then that Shou comes out of the bedroom. Hiroto looks over at him, heart swelling with warmth and affection for him. No, he decides. He's not going down without a fight.

"Keiko? And... Mum?" Shou blurts out in disbelief.

Then he hurries over, grabbing Hiroto's hand, interlocking their fingers. "What are you doing here? I only invited Keiko for lunch," he says quietly, a touch of steel in his voice.

"I can't see my own son?" Kohara-san asks, sounding hurt and angry.

"Four months ago, you claimed to disown me. Because I'm gay and you found me sleeping with another guy. Seven years ago, you broke up the relationship I had with my best friend right here. You forced us apart and made our lives miserable. I only just found Hiroto again. I am not going to lose him again," Shou responds, almost all fierce conviction and just a thread of fear.

Hiroto bites his lip, feeling prickly with the tension between mother and son. He remembers how horrified and angry she was - but he, too, remembers how she and his mother were friends, and took care of him and Shou together, and treated him like her own son before his relationship with Shou was discovered.

"Shou. Let them in and sit them down," Hiroto says softly. "We'll talk things out."

Shou looks at him, surprised but relaxing slightly. He nods, squeezing Hiroto's fingers, and steps aside. Keiko looks rather more relaxed, too, and steps in. Kohara on the other hand, looks taken aback by Hiroto's words for a moment, before coming in as well.

"I'll get you drinks and... snacks or something," Hiroto says.

"I'll help!" Keiko says brightly, following Hiroto into the kitchen.

Hiroto smiles at her, then encouragingly at Shou. He believes in Shou.

"I didn't know you'd be here. It's been so long!" Keiko says.

"Yeah... Shou didn't... He didn't say anything about me?" Hiroto says, feeling just a tad uncertain.

"Ah, niichan just said that there was a surprise he wanted to show me. And... For the first time he sounded genuinely happy!" Keiko says. "He was probably talking about you."

"Oh…” Hiroto blushes at that. Then he asks, "Um. Keiko-san, I thought you were coming at one. It's only eleven..."

"Well..." Keiko looks embarrassed. "I let slip that I was visiting Shou. Mum insisted that I bring her here. She... She's actually been rather worried ever since she and Dad threw out Shou after the fight... Do you know?"

"Shou told me everything, yes," Hiroto agrees.

"Yeah, so... Our parents were really angry at first, and thought they did the right thing, kicking him out. Disowning him,they said, but Shou's talk of them ruining his happiness with you... Well, they thought a lot about it. What they've done to Shou, forcing him to comply to their wishes. I came back for my semester break. Mum always comes back with me. So... This. Anyway! Hiroto, I haven't seen you in ages! How'd you meet Shou again?"

Hiroto explains quickly, smiling at the memory of meeting Shou by chance, and their date, and manages to laugh when he mentions how Shou protected him.

"Aww! You really love him, don't you?" Keiko grins, the same one her brother has.

Hiroto ducks his head, nodding. "I'm really happy I've managed to find him again. Or, well, he found me. I never really stopped loving Shou. There was always... Something."

Keiko gives him a kind smile, nodding. "That's lovely. It'd be nice to find a love like that. You're lucky. And you're happy with Shou, right?"

"Immeasurably," Hiroto agrees.

"Great. And... I assume you do the cooking? Because Shou invited me for lunch, and he's the kind of guy who is capable of burning toast, so..." Keiko laughs.

Hiroto laughs along, and nods. "Do you think it's okay to bring out the drinks now?"

Both of them glance out of the kitchen, where Shou and his mother are actually smiling at each other, even if only slightly. Shou looks up, meeting Hiroto's eyes, and a warm smile spreads across his face. Kohara-san looks at him, too, and there is apology in her eyes. Hiroto brings out the drinks, then, smiling at them. Shou is obviously happier, more at ease.

"I'll be cooking then," Hiroto says.

"Do you want me to help?" Shou asks.

He wants to talk, clearly. Hiroto nods with a reassuring smile. And anyway, Shou isn't so terrible at helping to prepare food now. They walk into the kitchen then.

"It's all right?" Hiroto asks, pressing a kiss to Shou's cheek.

Shou kisses his forehead, "Kind of, yes. Mum... She apologized for everything, actually, breaking us up and throwing me out and all that shit. Well... She said she'll try her best to accept us. Especially since I'm happy with you."

"Good," Hiroto says, about to turn back to the counter.

"Wait. Hiroto, thank you. You helped me reconcile with my mother. I would've let my emotions get the better of me if you weren't here. I was so scared," Shou murmurs. “I didn’t want to relive that day. I wasn’t going to let you go again. And you have reason to hate my mum, too, for what happened.”

“I know, Shou. It’s fine. And well… before everything went south, your mother also treated me really well, like her own son. And I just thought… maybe things could get better again...” Hiroto explains slowly.

Shou gives him that look, the one that’s as though Hiroto is the world. Hiroto can only blush and stammer and look away, till Shou hugs him and kisses him again. The knot of anxiety in Hiroto loosens.

\--

Hiroto happily, officially moves in when his lease is up, with Nao, Saga and even Tora helping him move his stuff. Some of the furniture they donate, others they move over to Shou’s, and Hiroto charges them with being extra careful with his games and movies.

Eventually, though, Saga and Shou don’t really do all that much (“Shou’s arm just recovered, and fine, I’m weak, sorry!” Saga whined, earning eyerolls from everyone but Tora, who just affectionately rubbed his hair.) Tora also becomes useless when Nao and Hiroto begin cooking dinner to end their day, although Tora, Saga and Shou do help to buy much-needed groceries.

Tora, Saga and Nao leave the apartment around ten, after having knocked back several drinks and watched a couple of movies together. Nao tells them to “have fun, lovebirds”, making Shou casually toss a cushion at his head as he leaves.

"I think he's right. We should follow his advice," Hiroto laughs, looking at Shou, sitting together on his couch.

“You want to?” Shou asks, smiling down at him.

“Yes,” Hiroto says simply and tilts his head up, kissing Shou full on the lips.

There is desire between them, hot and needy. Hiroto thinks about how good and how right it all feels, together like this. Then he stops thinking as Shou sinks his fingers into his hair, tongue sliding into his mouth.

"Hey... Shou..." Hiroto breathes. "Not out here."

Shou stands up, and before Hiroto can do anything, he finds himself carried up by Shou. Bridal style.

"Put me down! And your arm!" Hiroto yelps.

Shou laughs, obeying quickly. Hiroto kisses him roughly to shut him up. And like a couple of horny teenagers, they make out on the way to their bedroom, fingers pulling at each other's clothes.

They only get the job done once they're actually on the bed. Once they're both sitting naked on the bed, they spend moments looking at each other bare for the first time in all these years.

Hiroto lets his eyes roam over Shou's body. Still a smooth, perfect expanse of skin, even paler than he remembers. A lack of forced physical activity, and an indoors job, then. He's thinner, too, all of youth's fat lost. There's a small scar or two on his arms, probably from cutting paper and stuff.

Hiroto swallows as he looks down at Shou's cock. That's still the same, at least. He hears Shou's laugh, and then Shou's lips are on his again, and once-familiar fingers gently touch his chest.

It feels so new, and yet it's really not. They've done this many times before, jumping into things straight, under playful pretenses of homework and rewards. They're not kids anymore, that's for sure.

Shou gently pushes Hiroto onto his back, and Hiroto lets him. Hiroto looks up, breathing hard, and reaches up to pull him into another kiss. He lets out a moan as he feels Shou's body against his, hips pressed together.

"Hiroto..." Shou breathes into his mouth. "May I...?"

"Yeah. Anything you want," Hiroto gasps.

Shou starts kissing Hiroto's neck, lips trailing down to his chest. He licks his nipples, and then lower. Hiroto shivers with pleasure, gasps falling from his lips. He’s very slow, though, taking long moments to move across Hiroto’s skin. It’s different from the intensity that Hiroto remembers, less about prolonging his pleasure and more of… something else.

"Shou...?" Hiroto murmurs.

"Yes?"

"You're going really slow," Hiroto says, blushing. "Is there something...?"

"Sorry. Just... I can't believe it, still. That you're here together with me, Hiroto. That I'm touching you again..." Shou breathes.

"You - you're going to make me cry while having sex, silly," Hiroto mumbles, trying to hide the surge of emotions Shou's words give him.

Shou chuckles from his waist area, and then he's moving down swiftly, tongue flicking out to lick Hiroto's cock. Hiroto cries out, clutching the sheets, as Shou’s tongue slides up and down his erection.

“I hope this doesn’t make you cry,” Shou says as he raises his head, a mischievous smile gracing his lips.

“S-shut up - ah!” Hiroto gasps, arching up as Shou’s mouth closes around his cock.

Hiroto flings an arm over his eyes, feeling vaguely embarrassed. Even when they were previously together, Shou rarely sucked him off, mostly because Hiroto was embarrassed about it. He still worshipped Shou then, idolising him and uncomfortable with Shou doing anything for him.

Now it’s just unbelievably hot and Shou’s mouth feels fucking amazing. Still, he doesn’t really enjoy being so passive, and gets enough self control to ask Shou to wait. Shou looks up at him, his eyes black with lust, lips wet. Hiroto’s cock twitches again in interest, which only makes Shou grin at him.

“Uh. Can we - I mean, um...” Hiroto mumbles, cheeks red, as Shou continues smiling at him from between his thighs.

“I’m waiting,” Shou laughs.

Hiroto smiles bashfully and then he says, “I want to suck you off, too. While you’re doing the same to me.”

Shou licks his lips, and sits up. “Then, I think you should be on top.”

Hiroto flushes and nods. Shou lies under him as he gets on all fours, and then he takes Shou’s cock into his mouth. He hears a groan from Shou before the latter starts sucking Hiroto’s cock, too. Hiroto’s never done this before, but he’s watched enough porn to understand how it’s going to work.

It’s a completely new experience, and one that Hiroto’s enjoying massively right now. He takes Shou’s cock deeper into his mouth, and feels Shou’s mouth gasp around his own. And then he’s crying out around Shou’s erection as Shou teases his perineum with a finger.

In moments, Shou isn’t sucking him off anymore, but is instead licking the delicate skin around his entrance, before pressing his tongue against it. Hiroto is distracted enough to stop, at least until Shou twitches his hips. It’s only then that Hiroto continues, but his mind’s going crazy with the pleasure of Shou’s tongue inside him, hot and wet, as long, smooth fingers stroke his cock lazily.

If Hiroto wasn’t so occupied with sucking Shou’s cock, he’d be verbally begging Shou for more. Instead he squirms, pushing his hips back just a little bit, and tries very, very hard to bring his lover the same pleasure that he’s being given. He moves his head back and forth, allowing Shou’s cock to slide in and out of his mouth. It’s enough to make Shou stop for a while, groaning loudly.

“Oh fuck… your mouth, Hiroto...” Shou says.

If it were possible, Hiroto would smile at that - he loves being able to make Shou lose control like that, bringing out his dirtier side, making him swear and lose his veneer of polite charm. Instead, he continues, feeling a burst of salty-bitter precum on his tongue and knowing how close Shou is.

Shou seems to have his own ideas for revenge though, tongue slipping inside Hiroto again, along with a saliva-slick finger. Hiroto gives a muffled cry around Shou's cock, nerves alight with pleasure at Shou's ministrations.

It takes him a couple of seconds to recover, and then he's sucking with even greater fervour than before, determined to make Shou come the hardest he ever has in his life, right down his throat. The light thrusts from Shou are getting erratic, and so are the movements from his fingers and tongue.

With just a little more pressure from Hiroto, Shou cries out, and comes. Hiroto eagerly swallows his seed, milking him for all he's worth. Shou's trembling under him, too overcome to continue. Not that Hiroto minds, not like this.

He lets Shou's cock slip from his mouth when he's dry, licking his lips. And then Shou's mouth and fingers are working their magic on his cock and ass again, and Hiroto clings to the sheets, moaning.

Shou seems utterly determined to repay Hiroto for what he's done, and Hiroto can only moan and push his hips back, desperately seeking more. In moments he's coming into the warmth of Shou's hand, muscles clenching around his tongue and fingers.

It's good, so good and so much better than any orgasm he's ever had. He feels Shou lie back and he shakily gets up, just enough to lie on his front beside Shou. A fierce blush rises from his neck as he meets Shou’s eyes as the latter smiles and licks his fingers clean of Hiroto’s cum.

“You’re really cute like this,” Shou says. “Like how you always were.”

“I’m different now, it’s been a long time,” Hiroto says, unexpectedly sharp, remembering his initial fears of getting together with Shou again.

“No, I know. I’m sorry,” Shou says firmly, and before Hiroto can say anything else he continues, “You must’ve thought I was clinging onto the past. Yes, I will always remember how you were when we used to be teenagers, together. But no, I know how you’ve changed since. I know who you are now. And I love you all the same.”

Hiroto doesn’t quite know what to say. Maybe it’s from the post-orgasm high or maybe it’s Shou’s words or maybe it’s just that he knows without a doubt that he completely loves Shou. But he pushes himself up to kiss Shou, hard. He doesn’t have a way with words the way that Shou does, and he hopes like hell this will work to convey his feelings.

It does, with Shou kissing him back and stroking his hair and holding him tight. Shou only pulls away to breathe and continue peppering Hiroto’s face with light kisses. At least, until Hiroto’s giggling and Shou’s chuckling in his hair.

“Shall we continue?” Shou asks, gently nipping Hiroto’s earlobe.

“Y-yes,” Hiroto moans breathily.

Before long, Hiroto’s on his back, legs spread open as Shou sits between them. He has a couple of slick fingers worked into Hiroto, and Hiroto can only clutch the sheets, moaning every time Shou’s fingers move inside him. Shou soon pushes in a third finger, earning another cry from Hiroto.

“Hiroto, still good?” Shou asks.

“Y-yeah!” Hiroto gasps. “Faster, please!”

“Don’t be impatient,” Shou admonishes lightly, though he does work Hiroto wider.

He moves his fingers even more, and then Hiroto lets out a sharp cry as pleasure jolts through him. Shou continues his ministrations, reducing Hiroto to a helpless, whimpering mess on the bed in mere seconds, thrusting his hips back roughly as his cock begins leaking precum. It’s only then that Shou pulls his fingers out, leaving Hiroto feeling uncomfortably empty.

“You are a goddamn fucking tease,” Hiroto growls mutinously.

Shou just smiles that charming, princely smile. Hiroto rolls his eyes and sits up, pushing Shou back slightly. “Wanna do it like this,” he says.

Shou nods, and groans as Hiroto grasps his cock. Hiroto lifts his hips, and slowly lowers himself down on Shou’s cock. They cry out at the same time, and Hiroto clings onto Shou, legs and arms wrapped around his body. He’s never felt better in his life, with Shou in him again.

It takes him a while to move. He's panting, acutely aware of Shou's cock inside him again, at last. Then he starts to thrust up and down, moaning brokenly as he does so.

Shou's head is lowered, tucked under Hiroto's chin as he moves his hips together with Hiroto, groaning loudly. His fingers dig into Hiroto's back too, the same way that Hiroto is currently doing.

"Look at me," Hiroto gasps.

Shou looks up, and Hiroto seizes the chance to kiss him again. He scratches faint lines down Shou's back as he thrusts roughly, pleasure rising in him.

He angles his hips further and there, there it is. The spot that makes him scream with pleasure, and he does, clenching fiercely around Shou's cock.

"Fuck," Shou swears, voice rough and needy. "So fucking good, Hiroto, you're perfect, oh..."

Hiroto keeps moving his hips right there, scoring Shou's back more with every thrust. Shou's nails also scratch Hiroto's, as Shou desperately thrusts up.

Shou presses a sloppy kiss to Hiroto's lips, and doubles his efforts as Hiroto's movements steadily grow weaker and more erratic. Hiroto's begging now, for what precisely he isn't sure, but all he wants is simply Shou.

Hiroto forces his eyes open to look at Shou, who looks utterly wrecked as well. Pupils blown wide, lips swollen and parted, just like him.

"I'm coming!" Hiroto sobs, as Shou delivers a vicious thrust upwards. "Shou!"

Hiroto gives a choked cry as he loses all control, nothing but pure bliss overwhelming him. He's vaguely aware of Shou's cry of his name barely a moment after his own shout, and the sensation of warmth and wetness deep inside him.

No, this is the best orgasm he's ever had. White hot pleasure, his mind going blank, nothing in the world mattering but for being with Shou.

It takes him some time, but then he realises he's crying quietly, whimpering Shou's name and clinging fiercely onto him. Shou's holding him tightly, whispering Hiroto's name over and over again, voice ragged. He feels tears on his cheeks and shoulders.

Hiroto takes a few shuddering breaths, steadying himself. He pulls back just enough to look at Shou in the eye.

Then he whispers with a tired chuckle, "Shou... I told you.”

“Eh?”

“You made me cry during sex."

Shou looks stunned for a moment, and then he's laughing, sweet and tired and oh so lovely. His hands reach for Hiroto's face, and Hiroto lets himself be pulled in for another sweet kiss.

Nothing could be more perfect than this now. Not as Hiroto and Shou look at each other, smiling, fingers interlocked, bodies pressed close. Hearts beating together.

Everything finally feels perfect.

\---


End file.
